ComfortDelGro Taxi extends and increases the daily rental relief for cabbies

Published Wed, Mar 25, 2020 · 08:52 AM

COMFORTDELGRO Taxi has increased the daily rental relief in a bid to help its cabbies who are affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, said the company in a statement on Wednesday. It has also extended the end-date on which this relief will end.

An additional S$10 daily rental relief will be given to each taxi on top of the current S$36.50, which is inclusive of the S$10 Government Special Relief Fund. This means cabbies will see a total daily rental reduction of S$46.50 till the end of April, instead of the end of March.

This comes as stricter measures were announced on Tuesday in a bid to contain the virus outbreak. The Singapore authorities are shutting down all bars, entertainment venues and tuition centres, and cancelling all events among a series of tightened measures to minimise further spread of the novel coronavirus. They will be closed from 11.59pm on March 26 till April 30 for now.

With the latest measures, it means that "people are encouraged to stay at home and demand for taxis will drop", said Ang Wei Neng, chief executive officer of ComfortDelGro in the statement. The company has therefore enhanced its rental relief initiative to "help cabbies offset the anticipated drop in income".

"We hope the second stimulus package that the government is announcing tomorrow will further mitigate the plight of all cabbies," he added.

"ComfortDelGro is also waiving taxi rental for hirers who have been given five days of medical leave. This is in addition to rental waivers granted to those placed under quarantine by the MOH or put on Leave of Absence or Stay Home Notice by the company. They are also given financial assistance of up to S$800 from the Cabby Hardship Fund.